Remote work — once a concept only for specially considered cases — is slowly becoming the norm.
This trend has extended to Arizona, where remote workers, whether they work for companies based in the state or elsewhere in the USA, can enjoy a high quality of life without having to commute into the office. This is especially true in the major cities, which draw together freelancers and creatives due to a wide factor of reasons. For example:
Tucson Is Named Best Location for Remote Workers
According to this list from Forbes, Tucson is considered to be one of the top seven remote locations for remote workers in the country. This is due to the relatively low cost of living, which is 8% below the national average, the strong economy, and the relatively low state tax rate compared to places such as New York and California. The city also enjoys a high number of co-working spaces, a lively artistic scene, and the opportunity for hiking and horseback riding trails on your doorstop. With many large firms now offering workers the opportunity to work from home through this year and beyond, it is likely that more people will move to cities such as Tucson in the future.
This rise has been exacerbated, of course, by:
The COVID Effect
The share of Americans engaging in remote work has increased significantly due to the coronavirus pandemic and the hazards involved with working in an office. According to Statista, before COVID-19 reached American soil, around 17% of citizens worked remotely for five days or more. That number has skyrocketed to 44% by the end of 2020. This means that nearly one-half of Americans are working from home, a number likely to rise as businesses see that many of the same issues facing their businesses can be solved by remote workers as by people working in the office. To learn more about setting up a virtual office, check out the services available at https://ipostal1.com/virtual-office.php.
Incentives for Remote Workers
Remote Tucson is an organization started in the city in order to lure remote workers. Successful applicants are given money for relocation costs and the internet, as well as housing support, totaling around $7500. They are currently accepting around 10 people with the eventual aim of being able to support 100 remote workers a year. If you want to be a successful applicant, all you have to do is be over 18 years old, be employed remotely full-time, and willing to move to Tuscon within six months!
Bad Traffic
Commuting in major cities in Arizona can be a real pain. For example, in Phoenix, the average commuter spends over 62 hours in traffic a year, costing the economy a whopping $3 billion a year. This means that the possibilities of remote work can be a real incentive to boost the economy again, as those hours spent in traffic will be minimized and therefore productivity in the city will be increased.
